1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a developing device that is included in an image forming apparatus of an electrophotographic system, such as a printer, a copier, or a multifunction peripheral, and the image forming apparatus including the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective view illustrating an example of a developing device 5x of the related art. FIG. 12 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a state where an upper cover member 52x is detached from the developing device 5x illustrated in FIG. 11.
The developing device 5x generally includes a developing tank 51x that is long in shape and stores a developer, and a developer carrier (specifically, a developing roller 53x) that carries the developer stored in the developing tank 51x. 
The developing tank 51x in the developing device 5x is usually provided with an upper opening 51h (refer to FIG. 12) at which an upper surface is opened and the upper cover member 52x (refer to FIG. 11) that closes the upper opening 51h. 
In the developing device 5x, before filling the developing tank with the developer, an operator such as a service person detaches the upper cover member 52x from the developing tank 51x (refer to FIG. 12) and fills the developing tank 51x with the developer from an entire region of the upper opening 51h thereof.
Therefore, when filling the developing tank 51x with the developer, the operator is desired to perform an operation of detaching the upper cover member 52x from the developing tank 51x, and accordingly there is inconvenience that an operation of filling the developing tank 51x with the developer takes effort.
In this respect, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2011-154180 discloses a developing device in which a developer guiding member including a filling portion that performs filling with a developer is provided in a surface on one side in a longitudinal direction of a developing tank.
In the developing device, when filling the developing tank with the developer, an operator is able to fill the developing tank with the developer from the filling portion, thus making it possible to facilitate an operation of filling the developing tank with the developer.
In these years, there are increasing cases where a developing device is shipped from a factory in a state where a developing tank is filled with a developer.
However, in the developing device described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2011-154180, the filling portion is provided in the surface on the one side in the longitudinal direction of the developing tank, and therefore, when an operator fills the developing tank with the developer, the developer poured from the filling portion easily reaches a developer carrier exposed from the developing tank, and thus there are some cases where the developer leaks out from the developing tank due to shaking, for example, during transportation of the developing device.
The disclosure provides a developing device that is able to facilitate an operation of filling a developing tank with a developer and further able to suppress leakage of the developer from the developing tank due to shaking, for example, during transportation of the developing device, even when the developing device is shipped from a factory in a state where the developing tank is filled with the developer, and an image forming apparatus including the developing device.